Cook’s contract is not renewed as girls’ lacrosse coach at Academy of Notre Dame

Erin Cleary Cook, who guided the Academy of Notre Dame to its first Inter-Ac league girls’ lacrosse championship in 2012, did not have her contract renewed for 2015, a school spokesperson said.

Cook’s Fighting Irish teams went 58-26 in her first four years and her 2012 squad was 21-2 and closed as co-champs with Episcopal Academy. But this spring Notre Dame was 4-17 and the school decided to go in a different direction, said Director of Athletics Peg Desendorf.

Cleary Cook, a Notre Dame grad who earned All-Ivy League as a senior in 1996 at Harvard, also took her team to the PA Independent Schools (PAISAA) finals in 2012 and semifinals in 2013. She coached 25 Academic All-Americans and 12 First Team All Inter-Ac players (nine Honorable Mention picks).

She also coached two Inter-Ac Athletic Directors Award Recipients (Nora McCallion and Katie Schneider), the PASLA Team Service Award squad (2014) and the PASLA Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2014 (Katie Schneider).

“I will continue to believe that giving back of your time, energy and talents is one of life’s most important lessons,” said Cook. “It is the reason I answered the call when I was asked to become a coach at Notre Dame.

“I enjoyed coaching because it allowed me to have a positive influence on the girls and to teach them that becoming a good lacrosse player is important, being a good teammate is more important and being a good person is the most important quality of all.”

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on Thursday, July 10th, 2014 at 10:48 am and is filed under Girl's/Women's, High School.
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